Buttoning and gripping device for artificial arms.



Q. U. CORLEY. BUTTONING AND GRIPPING DEVICE FOR ARTIFICIAL ARMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9.I9I1- 1 ,278,305 u Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETS SHEET 1- A TTORNE Y 0. D. CORLEY. BUTTONING AND GRIPPING DEVICE FOR ARHFICIAL ARMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9.19H.

1,278,305; Patented Sept. 10,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ATTORNEY.

QUENTIN 1). CORL'EY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

BUTTONING AND GRIPPING DEVICE FOR ARTIFICIAL ARMS.

Specification 'of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Application filed. April 9, 1917. Serial N 0. 160,662.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, QUENTIN D. CORLEY, citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttoning and Gripping Devices for Artificial Arms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has particular relation to attachments for artificial hands or arms, designed. for buttoning operations and for gripping articles to be picked up and held.

The lIlTGIltlOIl contemplates devices whereby a person without natural hands may perform certain operations, as for instance putting on his collar and necktie and buttoning and unbuttoning his clothes without assistance from others.

In carrying out the invention a gripping device comprising two main elements is provided. One of the elements forms a support and has a jaw; while the other element a is movable on the support, has a jaw cooperating with the other jaw, and also has means for causing it to move. A buttoning device is mounted on the gripping device, but is a separate thing in itself and comprises a supporting member on which a buttoning loop is rotatable, but arranged to be fastened against rotation.

The invention will be more clearly understood from a perusal of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a structure involving the invention, the gripping device being illustrated in gripping position in dotted lines,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the structure, the buttoning device being swung to one side,

Fig. 3 and Fig. I are details of the buttoning device,

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the buttoning loop inserted through the button-hole of a collar,

Fig. 6 is a view of a person using the device to apply his necktie, and Fig. 7 is a similar view illustrating the use of the buttoning device.

In the drawings the numeral 1, designates an elongated shank, U-shaped in cross-section and having a down-turned integral jaw 2 at its forward end. and a handle 3. at it rear end. A slidable jaw 4 projects down through a slot 5 in the bottom of the shank and has an integral rack bar 6 within the shank and slidable on the bottom thereof. Ears 7 on the shank pivotally support the toothed segment 8 of an operating lever 9. The teeth of the segment are in engagement with the teeth of the rack bar and when the lever is pulled down the rack bar is moved forward against the tension of a coiled spring 10 attached to a lug 11 on the bar and an car 12 on the shank.

At the upper end of the lever a mirror bracket is pivoted and comprises a back plate 13 and a spring clip 14: attached thereto. A mirror may be inserted between the plate and the clip. A cord or other flexible connection 15 depends from the upper end of the lever and is long enough to reach the floor. The user grasps the handle 3 with his artificial hand or arm-end and places his foot on the cord 15. The cord holds the lever 9 against upward displacement and by swinging the handle upward or by moving the device laterally, the shank and lever are brought toward each other as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By this movement the bar 6 is slid forward and cooperates with the jaw 2 in picking up and holding articles as shown in Fig. 6. With the jaws toward him and the mirror in front of him, the user may place his necktie or pull his collar into position. The gripping device may also be used to grip clothing and unbutton it by pulling the button-hole portion over the button. A wall mirror may be used and the plate 13 swung down out of the way.

A short bar 16 is countersunk in the shank over the jaw 2 and forms a seat for a cylindrical arm 17 having its inner end fastened on a stub-screw 18 fastened in the bar 16 and held in position by a wing-nut 19. By loosening said nut the arm may be swung to one side as shown in Fig. 2, thus being out of the way when the gripping device is being used. The arm forms part of a buttoning device and has a head 20 at its outer end. A sleeve 21 is rotatably confined on the arm and has an enlargement receiving the head 20. The inner end of the sleeve has quadrant notches 22. A diametrical pin 23 pierces the arm and is positioned so that the sleeve may be pushed rearward and the pin received in opposite not hes,

whereby the sleeve is fastened against rotation. When the sleeve is pulled forward against the head it may be freely rotated.

A buttoning loop 24 is secured to the enlargement of the sleeve and is curved to one side so that it is off-set. The loop is formed of rigid wire and has a button-head enlargement 25 adjacent its outer end. In use the loop is displaced so that the shank of a button is received in the tip-end of the loop. When the sleeve is pushed back (Figs. 1 and 4) it can not rotate and the loop maybe passed through a button-hole and engaged over a button as shown in Figs- 5 and 7 When the apparatus is pulled relatively away from the button the shank of the latter will be forced into the tip of the loop, and the sleeve pulled forward and thus being free to rotate (Fig. 3). The tip-end of the loop being off-set it is merely necessary to impart a circular movement to the apparatus to swing the loop and bring the button through the button-hole.

The foregoing description and illustration clearly express the invention, but it is to be understood that said illustration is merely an exemplification and the invention may becarried out in various other ways.

What I claim, is:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a gripping device including cooperating jaws and means for actuating the same, and a buttoning device mounted on the gripping device and including a rotatable button engaging loop.

' 2. .An apparatus of the character described comprising, a gripping device in cluding a relatively fixed jaw, a gripping V jaw movable toward the first named jaw, and means for actuating the gripping jaw when the device is moved, and a buttoning device including a support connected with the gripping device and a buttoning loopcapable of rotation and of being fastened against rotation, said loop'being mounted on the support.

3. An apparatus 'of the character described comprising, a gripping device ineluding a relatively fixed jaw, a gripping jaw movable toward the first named jaw,

and means for actuatingthe gripping aw 7 when the device is moved, and a buttoning device mounted on the gripping device and lncluding an arm, and a buttoning loop rotatably confined on the arm and capable of being fastened against rotation.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a gripping support with a relatively fixed jaw, a movable jaw member cooperating with the fixed jaw to grasp .articles, a member for moving the movable sleeve and the member being arranged for the fastening of the sleeve against rotation, and an off-set buttoning loop carried by the sleeve, in combination witha gripping device for picking up and holding articles.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a shank having an integral jaw, a spring held sliding jaw mounted on the shank, a lever mounted on the shank and having operating connection with the sliding jaw, a mirror holder mounted on the jaw, and a flexible holding connection extending from the lever, in combination with an arm adjustably mounted on the shank, a sleeve rotatably confined on the arm and capable of being fastened against rotation thereon, and a buttoning loop fastened to the sleeve and curved laterally therefrom whereby its free end is olf-set.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

QUENTIN D; ooRLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained-forfive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

